With fly fishing lodges around the world, you could say we do our share of traveling. And, you’d also be safe to assume we hardly go anywhere without our rods!
We’ve learned a few tricks over the years while toting our gear from airport to airport, but today we want to hear from you! So we ask..
How Do You Travel With Fly Rods?
- Cases?
- Tubes?
- Checked Bags or Carry Ons?
- Spey Rods?
- One, Two, Three, or Four Piece Piece Rods?
We know many of you have done your share of traveling with fly rods, what has worked well for you? Help your fellow anglers by leaving a comment below!
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I use a tube for carrying my 4-piece graphite pack rod. Better overall protection and it’s short enough that I can take it as a carry-on to avoid “lost” luggage.
Since I am single handed fisherman I put my 4 pcs rods in my bag and hope for the best. So far, so good. I used to try and take them with me but increasingly got blocked in security. They could be used to poke them in the pilot’s eye. Not good.
Separate rod case will cost you a bundle in baggage fees. Case for a 2 PC. is target for luggage handlers to break and cases for 4 pcs too small – easy to lose. A 4 PC 9 ft. rod is about the max to fit an a large normal suitcase. It will be well protected and out of sight. It pay to NOT give someone a chance to break or misplace you expensive equipment!
I have always used a Harding and Sons rod bag for my 4 pc rods. It has a center compartment for rod tubes and side pockets for my reels, water proof camera, meds, and my new best buddy Kindle. It fit’s easily in a overhead bin on the airplane.
I only tend to fly long haul (otherwise I drive) to where I use my spey rods and so tend to take my main 4 piece spey rods in a travel rod case. I do take 2 back up 6 piece rods in with the main luggage as spares so I am covered if something happens to the rod case. The longest of these is 13ft so is only 26 inches when broken down. Modern travel rods are excellent
The Abel Travel Bag!. Its a shame they do not make them anymore. I can carry up to 8 flyrods and have room for some clothes in case my check-in bag comes late.
Three or four piece rods a must. Put all four in a rod tube case. Take a gear bag for reels, essentials. And take all aboard with you.
When I travel with my spey rods I use a golf club travel bag with wheels. It holds my rods in tubes with waders, boots, rain jacket, etc. I stuff it full up to the 50 lb. max and put everything else in a carry on bag.
I travel with the Fishpond Dakota. Rods in socks and I can carry a variety of weights and backups(up to 7 or 8). Also has room for 5 reels, sunglasses, fly lines, etc. I put extra shirt and shorts in Opsrey Porter 46 backpack with camera gear.
I use Sage Aluminum Travel Rod Tube fits 4 4pc saltwater rods. I put it in a Rei large (36″) and cheap fabric bag, since that tube doesn’t have padlock. Sometimes I put the rods in their original tubes and these inside a large suitcase, with 34 inches, that fits all my stuff.
When traveling in the US, I just stick the end of my rod tubes in the water bottle holder of my backpack and carry on. This December, I found when traveling to Argentina, that they would not allow rod tubes as carry on. Luckily my travel buddy had a checked bag that was big enough to stick my rods in it since my checked bag was not big enough. I am now in the market for a 31″ bag that I can check.
Have people received any push back from airlines permitting the Dakota Carry-On as a carry-on? I’m looking to pick up the 45″ for my spey rods and have a feeling that United won’t be thrilled about seeing it at the gate.
When I travel to tropical flats where there are a variety of species, I take 4 4-piece 9′ rods in socks Velcroed tightly together as carry on. When traveling with Spey rods I use a bazooka case as checked luggage.
I use tubes For all areas of travel
I always carry my four piece rods in a oversized tube stored in my curare today fishpond roller duffel . The tube hold six rods and is a off cut piece of pvc down pipe . Over many years and countless flights I have never had a problem . There are numerous airlines that do not allow rods to be carried on board so check it out I you intend to do so. The bag is insured and my buddies always have plenty of spare gear if one goes missing . Never has!
I’m from an area where we can not carry fishing tackle on board so every thing is packed in the booked baggage. I have a 4″ dia PVC tube which will hold up to six 4pce fly rods in their socks eg for Kiritimati it’s 3 8wts, 2 10wts & 1 12wt. I have been carrying rods in tubes on aircrafts for 40+ years and have not had a breakage in transit and the furthest I have travelled on one trip is 35,000 ks and I have done that a couple of times. For the past 25 years I have used 120 letre roller duffel bags.
My experience is outside of the USA – basic rule is that you do not carry fishing tackle onto a plane. The biggest challenge is fishing reels with line, closely followed by rod tubes and rods. I use the 73cm Samsonite Spinner Lite and place 4 piece rods without their tubes diagonnally in the lid. Reels are kept in covers. Fishing gear goes into 2 light plastic boxes and clothes are rolled and stuffed in the spaces. The pro of the Spinner Lite over duffelbag is that duffelbags get cut open.
Spey rods are in a locked in their original tubes (drill a hole through cap and tube). Most of my travelling buddies use the Fishpond checked. The first time I had a problem with reels was Vancouver in 2004 and there is a picture of someone leaving their rods in the security bin in Miami airport in 2019.